BA 340A FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING & REPORTING I
Fall 2002
INSTRUCTOR
Jennifer Reynolds-Moehrle
Office: Tower 1211
Office Hours:
Thursday 8-9AM
Wednesday 9:30-10:30 AM
Fridayby appt.
Phone: 516-6764
Email:
Web page for this course:
COURSE PREREQUISITES
Minimum GPA - 2.0, Math 30, BA 140. Make certain that you have met these requirements. The university screens for these but they may not notify you until it is too late for you to pick up another course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objective of this course is to extend your understanding of financial accounting and to include advanced topics related primarily to the asset section of the balance sheet. The concepts underlying generally accepted accounting principles are emphasized within an exploration of the financial statement preparer’s choices and motivations. The course includes an emphasis on case problem solving skills, technology skills,
communication skills, and interpersonal skills.
REQUIRED TEXT
Intermediate Accounting, Fifth Edition, Dyckman, Dukes, & Davis; Irwin Publishing.
Volume I - Chapters 1-14
CLASS PROCEDURE
The course will be presented through a combination of lectures, discussions, and in-class group problem solving. Questions from the students are always encouraged.
It is impossible to discuss or present all the material in class. Consequently, my job is to guide and assist you in the learning process. My discussions are meant to supplement the reading and are not intended to be a substitute for it. In addition, the assigned problems are intended to provide examples of practical accounting problems and solutions but cannot represent all of the situations one may encounter. Success in this course will require you to spend time outside of class reading, studying, and working through the homework assignments.
HOMEWORK AND PARTICIPATION
All homework should be attempted prior to the class discussion of that material. By reading the material and attempting the problems prior to class discussion, you can maximize your benefit by knowing beforehand which topics you would like clarified. Your participation in class is an important part of your success in the course. Participation includes not only asking questions, but contributing information from sources or experiences beyond course assignments, sharing your own ideas, and listening to and showing respect for the opinion and efforts of others.
SUPPLEMENTAL ASSIGNMENTS
Three supplemental homework problems will be assigned during the semester. Each of these assignments will be worth 100 points. The assignments are designed to pull together the topics in the course and to provide opportunities for using/improving your technology and research skills. One of the assignments will be a writing assignment that will be graded based on accounting knowledge and writing skills. You will receive the grading breakdown of points for each assignment prior to its due date.
EXAMS
There will be three examinations during the semester and a final exam. The first three exams will emphasize material covered since the previous exam and are required. The final exam will be comprehensive and is optional. The final exam can be used to replace a grade on a previous exam.
The examinations will consist of both practice and theory questions. Some questions will require multiple choice responses while others will require journal entries, financial statement presentation, short answers, and solution of problems.
GRADING
Following is a breakdown of the total points available for this course.
Exams (3 @ 200 points each)600 points
Supplemental Homework assignments (3 @ 100 pts)300 points
Quizzes (1 take-home worth 20 pts, 4 in-class, drop 1) 50 points
Attendance (Take 12, count 10) 50 points
Total1000 points
Extra credit 30 points
Therefore, there are 1000 points possible for this course. Letter grades will be based on total points earned and will be determined based on a curve developed at the end of the course. My expectation is that the grades will be distributed as: 90% - A; 80% - B; 70% - C; 60% - D. The University has adopted a plus/minus grading system. I will be using pluses and minuses in final grades.
One final note about grades. For most of you, this course is the first upper division course in your major. Make certain that you understand the College of Business standards for maintaining good standing and graduating. In particular, the College of Business requires you to maintain a 2.0 GPA to continue to take upper division courses and to graduate. In addition, the Accounting department requires you to maintain a 2.0 GPA in your accounting classes to graduate with an accounting degree. The Accounting department will use the GPA that includes ALL accounting courses taken, even if you have grade modified on your transcript. The Business school follows this same policy. In other words, all of your grades matter.
DROP POLICY
Your attention is directed to two critical dates. According to UMSL rules, anyone dropping a course after Sept. 18 must receive a grade for that course. Nov. 12 is the last day anyone may drop a course for the semester. It is my intent to firmly abide by these rules with this exception. I will allow anyone to drop the course with an excused grade regardless of the grades earned at this time until Oct. 7. Between Oct. 7 and Nov. 12 you will only be given an excused grade if you are earning a 60% at the time the request is made. There will be no withdrawals of any type after Nov. 12.
MAKEUP EXAM POLICY
The final exam will be used as a makeup exam for those cases where your absence from the regularly scheduled examination is for a legitimate, unavoidable and verifiable reason. There will be no other makeup exams offered.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
At my discretion, I will accept late assignments when there is a valid excuse. Late assignments can never receive full credit and will at most receive 75% of the credit.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
I don’t expect to have to deal with academic dishonesty this semester but I feel it is necessary to be clear on where I stand. Academic dishonesty is never worth the risk. It can not only result in the maximum punishment of expulsion from school, but can at a minimum send a damaging signal to future employers regarding your integrity. There are always other options available besides cheating (such as talking to the instructor if you are stressed, late, lost, etc.). I have always taken cheating very seriously. It has been my personal policy to give any involved student an F for the course when academic dishonesty is discovered and verified. I make no distinction between cheating on homework, quizzes, or exams.
In-class examples and class notes
You are responsible for checking the web-site before each class in order to print and bring to class any in-class examples or class handouts. I will not bring copies to class if the example is on the web-site before class.
In addition, I will make available the class notes that I use for each day's class on the web-site AFTER each day's class. These notes should not substitute for reading the text, but are meant as a guide for clarifying what you read.
Extra credit points
You will have the opportunity to earn up to 30 extra credit points during the semester. Your options are as follows:
Presentation of a class-related article (up to 3)10 pts. each
Attendance at an Accounting Club or other other Business Fraternity meeting (up to 3) 10 pts. each
Handing in suppl. homework at least 1 week early10 pts. each
Practice questions for exam (up to 6),maximum of 2 per test to be handed in (e-mailed) 1 week before exam date(none for final!) 5 pts. each
BA 340 A
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING & REPORTING I
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE - Fall 2002
DATE / Class number / TOPIC / READING ASSIGN / WRITTEN ASSIGNAug. 22 / 1 / The Accounting Environment / .
27 / 2 / Conceptual Framework / Chapter 1,2 / E2-7,8
29 / 3 / Is it an asset?
Sep. 3 / 4 / The Accounting Process / Chapter 3 / E3-1
5 / 5 / Adjusting Journal Entries / E3-10
10 / 6 / AJE's and Closing Entries / P3-4
12 / 7 / Income Statement and Comprehensive Income / Chapter 4 / E4-4,15
17 / 8 / Disc. Oper. And Extra.Items / C4-4, A4-3
19 / 9 / Balance sheet and cash flows / Chapter 5 / E5-4,7
24 / 10 / Cash flows / Supp1. HW quiz - 50 pts (first 40 minutes of class)
P5-8, part 1
26 / 11 / Ratios and review / E5-18; P5-8 part2; C5-5
Suppl. HW 1 due – 50 pts B.O.C.
Oct. 1 / 12 / Exam 1 / In class / 200 pts
3 / 13 / Time Value of Money / Chapter 6 / E6-3,12,15, P16-17,19, C6-1
8 / 14 / Amortization schedule/Intro. to Chapter 7
10 / 15 / Revenue & Expense Recognition / Chapter 7 / E7-7,8
15 / 16 / Revenue & Exp Recognition / . / E7-10,11
17 / 17 / Cash / Chapter 8 / E8-1,2
22 / 18 / Cash/Accounts Receivable / . / E8-7, P8-1
24 / 19 / Accounts Receivable / Chapter 8 / E8-11,P8-8
Writing assignment due – 100 pts Beginning Of Class
29 / 20 / Accounts Receivable / . / P8-14
31 / 21 / Accounts Receivable and Review / E8-29, P8-23
Nov. 5 / 22 / Exam 2, part 1 / In class / 200 pts total
7 / 23 / Exam 2, part 2 / In class
12 / 24 / Inventory-M&M day/basics / Chapter 9
14 / 25 / Inventory / . / .E9-1,9 , P9-10
19 / 26 / Inventory / E9-19,22
21 / 27 / Inventory / Chapter 10 / E10-4,D10-13, E10-15, P10-3
26 / 28 / Inventory / E10-19, P10-20,
Dec. 3 / 29 / Exam #3 / In class / 200 pts.
5 / 30 / Supplemental 3 work day / Supplemental 3 due Dec 9 by 5p.m.- 100 pts.
FINAL EXAM(in our class room)
9:30 class: Tuesday, Dec. 17, @7:45-9:45 AM!!11:00 class: Tuesday, Dec. 17, @ 10:00-12:00AM!!